I’ve had another busy and productive week. I registered for the South Carolina Writer’s Workshop Conference to be held October 22-24 in Myrtle Beach . I’ve attended this conference in previous years, and the speakers and workshops were excellent. The September 2010 Writer’s Digest article “Conference Scene” by Linda Formichelli included an interview with Carrie McCullough, SCWW Vice President & Conference Chair. Check out the conference website at www.myscww.org/conference.

I also belong to Southeast Mystery Writers of America (www.semwa.org). What luck to find a low-cost, 3-day workshop/retreat—within driving distance of my home—to help me polish my first novel (a mystery/romance) and prepare it for an agent’s eyes.

This means I should complete at least two more revisions of my manuscript before the SEMWA workshop on October 1 to allow me to get the best possible feedback on my work. Trust me on this one. As an English instructor, I know it’s difficult to concentrate on content and give constructive feedback when the writing is anything less than tight and right. All errors detract from the overall writing product; careless errors cause the reader to stop reading or, in the case of a teacher who’s required to keep reading, to scream in agony. Proofread, proofread, proofread! Words to live by in the writing life.

By setting writing goals, I focus on what needs to happen by a certain date. Now, I have to make it happen. If you don’t have writing goals on paper or screen, I challenge you to sit down and write your goals—Write Now!